ADMINISTRATIVE CORE (A) PROJECT SUMMARY Investigators in this Program Project Grant are focusing their research on the specific biochemical and functional pathways by which the kidney regulates salt in the diet and how this is relevant to the control of blood pressure and development of kidney and cardiovascular disease. The Program Project Grant funding mechanism is designed to enhance collaborative research and dissemination of new information that would otherwise not occur. The Administrative Core has four major responsibilities. The first is to facilitate the various business requirements associated with the PPG. The second is to foster scientific progress and coordination among the various projects and cores. This includes coordination of scientific activities, communication, and travel among the three sites that are involved, which includes the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the University of Utah, and the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. Thirdly, the Administrative Core will promote professional development and expansion of ideas by organizing and overseeing regular scientific meetings of the entire research team. And finally, the Administrative Core will provide biostatistical and computing resources for each of the projects. The Program Director, Dr. David Pollock, has participated in three different PPGs over the past 12 years and is currently the Director of the Cardio-Renal Physiology and Medicine Section in the Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The Deputy Director, Dr. Donald Kohan, is the former Chief of the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension in the Department of Medicine at the University of Utah. Dr. Kohan is a world leader in the field of endothelin biology, and in particular, related to renal tubular control of sodium and water excretion. Dr. Gary Cutter will oversee statistical and data management support for the PPG. Dr. Cutter is a Professor of Biostatics in the section on Research Methods and Clinical Trials in Department of Biostatistics at the UAB School of Public Health. He has a long and successful history of working with investigators at all levels, population, clinical, and basic science. Finally, the Program Manager, Ms. Amanda Hanninen, serves as coordinator of the day-to-day logistical operation of the PPG. She oversees accounting, scheduling, travel, etc. for program investigators. The PPG has the full support of the administrations of the participating universities.